The Laconia Historical and Museum Society will open its tastiest exhibition to date, "May I Take Your Order?: A History of Diners," on Thursday Oct. 25 at the Laconia Public Library.

Diners first appeared on the American scene in the form of horse-drawn lunch wagons in the 1870s. By the turn of the 20th century companies were producing hundreds of these food service wagons on wheels. Catering to late night factory workers and hungry night owls, the dining car (later shortened to 'diner') served up homemade comfort foods at an inexpensive cost.

By the 1950s, innovative modern design transformed the diner into a stainless steel, jukebox-blasting, neon dream. Today diners signify nostalgia for the past as well as excitement, great food, and hometown atmosphere.

"May I Take Your Order?" will be on display at the Laconia Public Library from Oct. 25 to April 26, 2008, during regular library hours. Exhibition displays will include diner-related artifacts on special loan from the American Diner Museum in Providence, Rhode Island, as well as items from the Shore Diner of Lakeport and Red Arrow Diner of Manchester.

Test your knowledge of diner slang by taking one of our five online quizzes. See a mini-documentary with Spider Osgood, famous local diner cook. Check out our list of programs related to diners. Visit us at www.laconiahistorical.org.

The Laconia Historical and Museum Society is a private, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of the City of Laconia, New Hampshire.

Originally published online here: http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/CITIZEN_07/710040031/-1/CITIZEN